Birthday Massacre
by Green Phantom Queen
Summary: Side-story to "Horseshoes and Hand-grenades", Gentaro is faced with different parts of his personality who are trying to break him free from Ophiuchus's control. However, Gentaro is determined to stand by his master's side and will not let anyone, even himself, stand in the way of what he rightfully deserves. Gentaro Kisaragi has died, and the Serpent-bearer has risen in his wake.
1. Remember Me

**Birthday Massacre**

**Melody 1: "Remember Me" **

"_In the End, we will not remember the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."_

_-Martin Luther King, Jr._

The wind was very beautiful at night.

Gentaro felt the gentle breeze caress his face as he walked across the town. No one was there to hurt him, and even if they tried to, they wouldn't be able to for a couple of reasons. First off, he was a capable fighter with enough strength to knock them down out for the count. The second, was that if regular fisticuffs didn't work, he could transform into Kamen Rider Fourze and frighten the thugs to next Sunday.

The third reason was that he was already dead, plain and simple. He could absorb the pain he had to take and dish out enough to send a man flying into a brick wall. He could jump higher and carry at least three to four times his weight without a limiter in his brain telling him when he's pushed his limit. And if those abilities didn't work, he could always use his array of star-based spells to dish out some justice of his own.

He past by an abandoned building, noticing his reflection in the large glass window. He stopped and placed a hand on his cheek. His skin was the color of alabaster, and his eyes were the color of polished obsidian. His dark hair went down to his sunken cheeks, giving him the look of a zombie (which he technically was at this point, but he didn't call himself that). Draping his body was a long black biker jacket covered with golden buttons, along with a red shirt and black pants. He placed a hand against the glass, feeling its cool touch.

"This is me," he said. "This is what I have become."

"It's not you," said a voice, souding similar to his own. "This is not you!"

Gentaro narrowed his eyes as he tried to find who was speaking to him. "Where are you? Show yourself this instant!"

"I'm right in front of you, idiot! In the glass!"

Gentaro turned his gaze toward his reflection, seeing his reflection staring back at him. The reflection looked just like him, except there was a tattoo of a red poppy flower on his right cheek. The reflection placed a hand on the glass, as if trying to be set free, narrowing his eyes.

"I must be going insane," Gentaro stated sarcastically. "I'm talking to myself."

"I'm not like you at all!" Gentaro's reflection barked back. "My name is Anamnesis, the one who knows everything about your past."

"Then you already know why I'm in this state, don't you? I don't need to hear your pathetic voice pounding in my head at this time of night. It's like hearing a high-powered buzzsaw cutting through human flesh and I'm getting very tired."

"You don't feel tired at all! Besides, no one can hear us right now."

"Are you certain?" Gentaro raised an eyebrow and lifted his left hand into the air. Amusingly, he noticed that Anamnesis just crossed his arms against his chest. "I can call Master Ophiuchus so he can be a witness to all of the lies that you're going to spew at me."

"That serpent is pure evil! He's only using you in order to get what he wants! He's nothing more than a heartless monster!"

"So are we, but you don't see me complain about it. Besides, I like being a heartless monster. It gives me certain liberties that my _human side_ would never allow."

"You have to remember who you really are!" Anamnesis exclaimed, pounding at the glass. "Let me in, Gentaro! You need to recall the promise to your friends! The Kamen Rider Club needs you! "

"No they don't!" Gentaro screamed, curling his hands into fists. "If they needed me so much, they wouldn't have let me die by Sakuta's hands! They would've defended me just like they did back with the Lynx Zodiarts. 'We won't back down to you. We're the Kamen Rider Club'. That was what Miu said to Meteor, but it was all just talk! They just stood there and left me talking about how glad I was to die for Ryusei!" Gentaro felt tears water in his eyes. "I can never forgive them. I will _never_ forgive them!"

"What were they supposed to do?" Anamnesis inquired. "Meteor Storm was too fast, and he came out of the blue! No one was expecting him to switch sides after what he did for us! What happened to you wasn't their fault! So stop blaming all of your problems on them!"

"Stop lying to me! You saw Shun in the Power Dizer. He could've kicked Meteor Storm away and let me obliterate Yamada into a thousand pieces! Hell, any of them could've just run inbetween the two of us and prevented Meteor from killing me!"

"You accepted your death with dignity and honor, remember?" Anamnesis's hand passed through the glass and rested on Gentaro's forehead. "Gentaro, please remember..."

Gentaro winced as he felt the memory being plucked from his head. The scenery faded away into darkness before it transformed into that abandoned warehouse. He saw himself on his back, his body bruised and his clothes ripped and tattered. The memory of Gentaro had a smile on his face as he began to draw his last breaths before finally closing his eyes, succumbing to his own injuries.

"No..." said the real Gentaro, recalling how he spent his last moments as his old self. "Stop making me remember that! I don't want to remember that horrible day! Stop it! Stop it, now!"

Gentaro fell onto his knees as he ran his hands up and down his arms. How could he go out like that? How could he willingly die for a murderer? Tears fell from his eyes as a dark aura wrapped around his body. He lowered his hands as a long silver staff appeared in front of him, a black snake wrapped around it.

"No," said Anamnesis, eyes widening in fear. "Gentaro, you need to break out of Ophiuchus's spell this instant! Do you know what you just summoned? That's the Scepter of..."

"Shut up!" Gentaro snarled, standing up. He took the scepter into his hands and pointed it at Anamnesis. The eyes of the serpent began to glow red. "Shut up and go away forever! I don't need my past at all! I have my future to decide! I will use that future to walk forward and _destroy_ all who would stand in my way!"

"By destroying me, you're destroying yourself!" Anamnesis closed his eyes and lowered his hand, the scene fading back to the abandoned building and the glass window. "I hold your ties to the past—the past before you even became Gentaro Kisaragi! It's vital that you know that before you become tossed aside by Ophiuchus!"

"...Who cares?" Gentaro grasped onto the scepter with both hands and brought it back, as if he was up to swing the bat. "I will obey and follow my Master's will until he no longer needs me. It is the least I could do for the one who brought me back to life." Gentaro smirked. "Good-bye, 'Me'. I hope that we see each other in another place and time."

"Wait, what are you-"

Gentaro swung the scepter across the glass, hearing it shatter from impact. His reflection looked in horror, clutching his chest in pain. Anamnesis just watched as Gentaro continued to destroy both the mirror and himself, unable to do much else.

"G-Gentaro," Anamnesis sputtered, feeling blood escaping his mouth. "You must know who you are before it's too late...you are..."

"I am the Serpent-bearer to Master Ophiuchus," Gentaro interrupted, punching the glass. Anamnesis stepped back, placing a hand on his jaw. "I am the one who was given Life-after-Death!" Gentaro kicked the glass, seeing small shards drop into the barren floor. "And I am the one who decides my fate! You are nothing to me!"

Gentaro brought the scepter back and pierced it through Anamnesis's chest. The window shattered, sending fragments of glass everywhere and slicing Gentaro's face. He ignored the glass as he saw Anamnesis vanish, tears falling down his voice. As Anamnesis began to fade away, Gentaro could hear his voice whispering something in the empty wind.

"_We are the Dead, short days ago. We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow..."_

Gentaro stayed silent until he can no longer hear the pest. The scepter in his hand vanished as he began to walk off, feeling the wind place gentle kisses all over his face. He then heard a hiss and turned to his side, seeing Ophiuchus, the ancient serpent residing in his body, materialize from thin air.

"_Am I interrupting something of great importance?" _asked the serpent. _"It seemed as if you were in the middle of a deep conversation with yourself."_

"I technically was, Master," Gentaro answered, staring at the scepter in hand. "But he is gone, never to return. Also, do you happen to know what this is?"

"_That, my dear Serpent-bearer, is the Scepter of Asclepius. It was used by Asclepius himself when he made his rounds to heal others, but it was mostly there to channel the healing energy he carried within."_

"I see. I can also tell it's good to beat people up with," Gentaro chuckled, running a hand up and down the staff. "I hear it call out to me. It needs Cosmic Energy to stay strong."

"_I know a great place to find some energy," _Ophiuchus replied in a whisper. _"Shall we head off?"_

"Yes, let's. The night is so young after all," Gentaro began to walk away from the abandoned building, scepter in hand. "The world is open up for me to take it, and no one will be able to stand in my way to obtain what I want: revenge."

Ophiuchus chuckled before fading away, leaving Gentaro all by himself once more. As he walked, he did not notice the lone poppies growing on the cracks of the sidewalk, swaying in the empty wind. Instead, he placed a hand in his mouth and began to sing.

"In Flanders fields, the poppies blow," Gentaro sang softly to himself. "Between the crosses, row on row..."

He continued to sing as he walked across the empty road all by his lonesome self.

* * *

**Next time: Gentaro finds himself observing people confessing love to one another and recalls the person he poured his heart and soul to. Will the power of love be enough to free him from Ophiuchus's control? Or will it be destroyed and left to be forgotten?**

**Next Melody-"Two Hearts"**


	2. Two Hearts

**Birthday Massacre**

**Melody 2: "Two Hearts"**

"_Great hearts steadily send forth the secret forces that incessantly draw great events."_

_-Ralph Waldo Emerson_

To Gentaro, love was nothing more than a very aggravating nuisance.

He was resting on a large tree branch, hearing the wind whisper in his ear once more. In his hands was a rather large Astroswitch painted orange and with the label of S-1. Its topper were the boosters of a rocket that he would occasionally press on. He remembered how he created the switch, and of all the heartbreak that ensued in its creation.

"Nadeshiko," he snarled, closing his eyes. "Why did you even come to my existence? You only came to my life for one day, yet I can't stop thinking about what you've done. Why?"

_Because your heart is filled with the longings of passion and amour! _A voice replied in his head. _Love is the most powerful force in the universe!_

Gentaro looked up, seeing another him sitting on a higher branch, swinging his legs back and forth with a dreamy look on his face. In the other Gentaro's hands was a large bouquet of light purple flowers. Each flower had five petals ending with fringes that quivered when a finger lightly touched them. Gentaro narrowed his eyes as he saw the counterpart tuck a flower behind his ear—those were Nadeshiko flowers.

"And who are you supposed to be?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you and Anamnesis are good friends."

_Maybe. Maybe not._ The other Gentaro replied with a sigh, smelling the flowers in hand. _I am simply known as Yen._

"You're named after money?"

_No. It means, "to longingly yearn for something"-which is what you're doing right now._

"I'm not some love-obsessed freak in case you're wondering." Gentaro snarled, dropping down from the tree. "Will you leave me alone?"

_Not until you admit that you yearn for something more._ Yen replied, dropping a Nadeshiko flower onto Gentaro's shoulder. Gentaro flicked it away with a finger. _You want to be with people, don't you? You want friends, correct?_

"I don't want friends and I certainly don't need them!" Gentaro snapped. "I have what I need and I'll get what I deserve without the bonds of friendship!"

_But you yearn for some sort of companionship, correct? That's why you took Kengo and Jiro into the fold. Kengo was the one who suffered the most heartbreak in seeing you die and Jiro's only friend happened to be the one that killed you. They were so lost and alone without someone to love them, and look what you've done...You warped them into a twisted love affair._

"Them being lovers was their decision," Gentaro replied, walking off. "I just told Serpent of the Obsidian Knives that Apep was someone he cared about—I didn't _ask_ that they started to make out like lovers."

_And as perverse as they may be, they're actually better off than you are._

Gentaro stopped walking and turned his gaze back at Yen. "...Do tell."

_They have someone who they love and cherish. You're stuck obsessed with revenge against people who truly do care for you. Even if they were unable to save you, they never stopped thinking about what they could've done to help you. That shows how much love they had. Even Nadeshiko loves you from the bottom of her heart._

"If she did, why did she leave for outer space?" Gentaro gripped onto the Super Rocket Astroswitch, as if he wanted it to crack from all of the pressure he was giving it. "Why did she tell me that she couldn't say by my side? When you fall in love, isn't it for ever and ever? Love isn't supposed to hurt!"

_It's better to have loved and lost than never to love at all, Gentaro._ Yen sighed, dropping more Nadeshiko flowers over Gentaro's head. Gentaro snarled, and shook the flowers out of his hair. _Don't you agree?_

"I wish we can agree on me killing you where you stand!" The Scepter of Asclepius materialized in Gentaro's hand as the Serpent-bearer pointed it toward his love-sick counterpart. "Well?"

_Must every confrontation end with violence and death? _asked Yen. _Ask yourself that, "Does everything center around killing people?"_

Gentaro hesitated, seeing Yen drop the flowers onto the grass, raising his hands into the air in defeat. The Serpent-bearer stared at the Astroswitch in his hand before turning his gaze toward Yen. Yen just smiled in return.

_Might as well get on with it._ He said. _At least I know that I won't-_

Gentaro threw the scepter toward Yen, the tip piercing through his heart. Yen gasped as Gentaro smiled. However, unlike Yen's own smile just seconds ago, Gentaro's held the expression of utter glee at what he was about to do next.

"I won't kill you," he said. "It turns out that I actually _do_ need a yearning to keep living. I need you within me Yen, better than what Anamnesis was begging with the whole past lives shit he spewed at me."

_What are you going to do with me? _asked Yen, feeling his vision going blurry. _What will become of me?_

"You'll live, but what we desire won't be the reunion of lovers and sweethearts." Gentaro grinned as he placed hand over the fallen Nadeshiko flowers. The flower petals flew into the air and encircled Yen, their lavender hue slowly turning black. They then attached to his skin, rapidly growing all over him like a bad rash.

"Fornax," Gentaro whispered, snapping his fingers.

Yen's eyes widened as his body was engulfed in flames, the flower petals sticking onto his body as if they became a large pool of molten metal.

_This desire for destruction will kill you! _Yen gasped out. _It's not too late to go to the light! Please Gentaro, remember what you first desired._

"I do," Gentaro replied, folding his arms. "It was the desire of being with people. However, it occurred to me that making them stay with me forever and ever was the hard part. So, why not use a little force. Don't you agree, master?"

Yen gasped as he saw the shadoyw form of Ophiuchus wrap around the tree, his red eyes shining with delight. Yen felt the petals creeping through his stomach and arms, their touch burning him with each passing second. Even moving one of his fingers was becoming difficult. He took a glance at the serpent through his peripheral vision, flinching as he felt the serpent's forked tongue near his face.

_What an excellent specimen._ said Ophiuchus. _What do you suppose we do with him?_

"I was thinking of using him as an offering to you," Gentaro answered. "Maybe if you coat him in enough venom, we can dye his heart a nice shade of black."

Ophiuchus laughed as he saw Yen tremble in fear. Yen closed his eyes as the petals covered his shoulders and throat. It was over—he was about to suffer Anamnesis' fate.

"Wait just a moment," said Gentaro. "I forgot something."

Yen felt the petals covering his nose and mouth as Gentaro jumped onto the tree branch where he sat. Yen prayed that Gentaro would change his mind, a tear falling down his eye as he saw the petals slowly obscuring his vision. Unfortunately, his hope faded when he saw Gentaro wrench the Scepter of Asclepius out of his chest.

"Didn't want to lose my most precious weapon" Gentaro chuckled. "Master, _now_ is the time to feed."

Yen tried his best to scream as the last thing he saw was Gentaro waving goodbye at him. Then, Ophiuchus opened his mouth.

* * *

**Next time: Gentaro only desires the future where he has defeated his friends. Another fragment of his personality comes forth, begging that Gentaro focuses on what he has in the present-the chance to chase away his feelings of vengeance and hatred.**

**Next Melody-"In This Moment"**


	3. In This Moment

**Birthday Massacre**

**Melody 3: "In This Moment"**

"_The past is history, the future is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it's called 'the present'."_

_-Oogway, Kung Fu Panda_

One of the drawbacks of being dead was the feeling of boredom that seemed to engulf one's being.

So while Kengo and Jiro, or Apep and Serpent of Obsidian Knives as Gentaro called them, were out mingling with other people, the Serpent-bearer was trapped in Kengo's apartment, feeling as bored as ever. He tried to get some sleep, but his body didn't need it. Plus, even if he tried to sleep, he couldn't dream. He couldn't envision happy, beautiful dreams for himself...the only things on his mind were anger and bitterness.

Gentaro turned his gaze toward the digital clock, seeing a number on the bottom right ticking off the seconds. He let out a sigh in frustration. He couldn't meet up with any of the serpents until class was over for the day, and that was only if he could sneak into Amanogawa without causing suspicion. Unfortunately, with more and more people in the know, it was becoming harder and harder to mask his true identity.

"I can't wait until this boring spell ends," he said, sitting up from the couch he was lying on. "When I have my revenge, then everything will be perfect."

_Why do you want to ask for the future to happen now? Live in the present where you still have a chance to set things right._

Gentaro heard the chime of a clock striking twelve as another him rose from the ground. This other Gentaro was dressed in a white robe decorated with purple iris flowers, and in his hand was a silver pocket watch stamped with a fleur-de-lis. His eyes were also a dark shade of purple and his hair was covered with similar purple petals.

"What now?" Gentaro groaned. "Where are these copies of me even coming from?!"

_We all exist inside of you, Gentaro Kisaragi. _The other Gentaro replied in a calm tone. _My name__ is Nonce._

"Is that short for 'nonsense'?"

_No. It represents the present time. And I speak on behalf of the peresonalities inside you when I bear this message. We all wish for you to see the light, and to free yourself from the evil serpent known as Ophiuchus. He will take away everything you care deeply about for his own maniacal purpose. However, you still have a chance to break free._

"And what if I don't want to? I like the path that I'm currently walking on and you will not change my mind."

_That's t__rue, but I can give you some good reasons as to why you __need__ to escape Ophiuchus's wrath. First off, that scepeter you recently acquired..._

"You mean this?" With a wave of his hand, Gentaro summoned the Scepter of Asclepius. "What about it?"

_That monstrosity is doing you more harm than good! You killed off your sense of memories and yearning with that damned thing! Do you even understand what that means?_

"It means there are less jabbering idiots telling me to listen to them, that's what," Gentaro answered. "Is that all you have to say?"

_No, of course not! You need free yourself of Ophiuchus' influence right now! Before it's too late! He'll devour your soul and nothing will be left of you. Has he told you the real reason why he became the Serpent-bearer?_

"It's because Asclepius was betrayed by the people who he cured. He cursed them with his dying breath. I am to carry the evil that Asclepius brought down on them by following in my master's will."

"_No! When Asclepius died, his soul was devoured by Ophiuchus and the serpent eventually took over Ascleipus's body. He became nothing more than a puppet, just like you."_

"So what?"

"_You're losing yourself to this serpent! All Serpent-bearers lose their identity in the end so the Serpent inside them takes over and begins wreaking havoc across the world. Ophiuchus wants to use you for his own dire wickedness."_

"You're getting on my nerves," Gentaro snarled, standing up. "I suggest you shut up right now before you become one with the sands of time. I don't think you want to see me when I'm angry."

"_Try me."_ Nonce tossed his pocketwatch into the air. It began to glow and transformed into a sword with gears surrounding the hilt. _"Shall we dance?"_

The scenery changed and the two were transported into a grassy field surrounded by irises. Gentaro snarled while Nonce just pointed his sword at his opponent.

"You're going to rest in the Elysian Fields if you know what's good for you," Gentaro snarled. "Prepare to die!"

He charged toward Nonce, his eyes glowing with rage. Nonce prepared his blade and the two began to trade blows. Gentaro made a wide slash that sliced the head off many irises while Nonce stepped back. He looked at the beheaded irises and sighed.

"Even now you can't even appreciate to step back and smell the daisies," Nonce commented. "Or, as it were, the irises."

"A few flowers aren't worth sympathizing over," Gentaro retorted, pointing his scepter at Nonce's heart. "Neither are you."

Nonce brought his blade down on Gentaro, but Gentaro blocked it with the staff. The two then resumed their fight, going back and forth as their weapons clashed. Gentaro thrust the scepter toward Nonce's heart, but Nonce anticipated this move. He moved his blade underneath Gentaro's own weapon and raised it into the air, causing the scepter to fly off and land in the grassy field behind its owner. Just as Gentaro turned his gaze to see his beloved weapon gone, Nonce punched him the stomach and knocked him onto the grass.

"Any last words?" he asked, planting his foot on Gentaro's chest.

Gentaro looked up, slowly raising his hand into the air as he whispered, "Sagitta."

Nonce's eyes widened in horror as he looked above. In a blink of an eye, he was skewered by hundreds of arrows falling down from the sky. He fell onto the ground, blood pooling from the multiple wounds. Gentaro chuckled as he stood up. He approached the scepter and picked it up before standing over Nonce once more.

"I win," he stated. "The only question now is what I should do with you."

"Gentaro," Nonce choked out. "I can leave you with a gift if you desire. You must not waste it—it can only be used once."

"Thanks, but no thanks. I think I figured out a better gift to use."

"What would that be?"

"You. Serpens!"

Nonce opened his eyes just as a white snake dropped onto his face. Within secounds, he felt the snake's fangs bite deep into his neck, numbing his mind with its powerful venom. Then, the last thing he saw before everything faded away was Gentaro sneering at him, claming his next victory.

_This...can't be how it ends..._Nonce thought to himself. _It just can't be..._

**0-0-0-0-0-0**

"Yoo-hoo!" cried Jiro, opening the door. "Serpent-bearer, where are you?"

Gentaro slowly woke up from his nap and turned to see Jiro and Kengo approaching his side. He looked at the clock, seeing that it now read 3:30 PM.

"I hope you slept well, Master," said Kengo, dropping to his knees. "Our day was uneventful, unfortunately."

"There is always tomorrow, Apep," said Gentaro, looking at his hand. "You did what you had to do today, and that's enough."

"What's that?" asked Jiro, noticing the strange item in his master's hand.

"This?" asked Gentaro, showing the silver pocketwatch with a fleur-de-lis stamped in the middle. He smiled. "Let's just say that it was a present from myself."

If one paid close attention as he spoke, they would've noticed that Gentaro's eyes held a purple hue in their depths.

* * *

**Next time: If Gentaro sleeps, does he dream? And if he can dream, what does he dream of? Since death is nothing more than just an eternal sleep, what could Gentaro dream of with every waking moment he has now?**

**Next Melody-"The Dreamer"**


	4. The Dream

**Birthday Massacre**

**Melody 4: The Dream**

"_Be a dreamer. If you don't know how to dream, you're dead."_

_-Jim Valvano_

Gentaro Kisaragi couldn't sleep at all.

Then again, he didn't need to. He laid back on the sofa that he usually inhabited in Kengo's apartment, staring at the ceiling. He could hear Kengo, Jiro and Philip asleep in the bedroom, the three sprawled out over one another after they all had some 'time' together. The noise the three made didn't bother him at all, though. As long as he could meditate on his next move, he could handle some moans, screams and whines.

He sat up, staring at the pale moon waxing. The small crescent formed some sort of smile, as if mocking the Serpent-bearer on all that he lost when he made the contract with Ophiuchus. A thought came into his head. What would it be like to go to Amanogawa High campus, enter through the locker into the Rabbit Hatch, and then set fire to everything he saw? He could imagine the looks on the Kamen Rider Club's faces as they tried to figure out who set an arson attack on their little clubhouse. No one would be able to figure out who did it—especially if they had to hear the explanation as to _why_ the locker could connect to an abandoned lunar base.

"It wouldn't be that much trouble," he said to himself. "I mean, I could just come and go, and no one would be the wiser. They all have their petty little troubles to go through—the destruction of the Rabbit Hatch would be the last thing on their minds. Yes," Gentaro grinned as he imagined the Rabbit Hatch going down in a sea of flames. "That's exactly what I'll do. I want to see those fools know that I'm always one step ahead of them, and that no matter what, I always win in the end."

"_Why do your dreams sound like nightmares? What makes you happy is going to cause people to suffer?_

Gentaro growled as he saw someone sitting across from him, wearing a blue cloak with white sheep embroidered on the sleeves. In the stranger's hand was a shepherd's crook with a lantern at the end. Gentaro wasn't amused at the slightest. If there was one thing he hated more than anything else, aside from the Kamen Rider Club telling him that they were all _friends_, it was someone interrupting him when he was planning something.

"_Good evening," _said the stranger. _"My name is Reverie. It seems as if you need to count some sheep."_

"I rather roast them over a spit and use their bones as firewood," Gentaro snarled. "I don't want anything to do with sheep, especially since they were the ones that caused me to DIE!"

"_Shh..."_ said Reverie, placing a finger on his lips. _"There are people sleeping at this hour..."_

"And I should care about this, why?"

"_Because they're dreaming of happy things..." _Reverie brought his hand out, summoning some violet flowers into his hand. _"They imagine that they can become beautiful things in the world of dreams. And they're a beautiful shade of purple...just like irises."_

Gentaro narrowed his eyes as he gripped onto the silver pocket-watch in his pocket. After absorbing Nonce, he knew that other parts of him were going to appear. Reverie just kept his dreamy look on his face as he tossed violets into Gentaro's face.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"_You looked like you were in deep thought, when you really need some sleep." _Reverie answered. _"I can see the bags in your eyes..."_

"I don't care."

"_You cannot lie to yourself that you need rest. So close your eyes, take some deep breaths, and fall into the world of sleep..."_

"I don't need oxygen, and I rather not sleep. And I _don't_ want to dream."

"_Will you at least try?" _ Reverie's eyes slightly opened. _"Not only do I work with dreams, I also deal with nightmares. I assume you have one that you don't want to deal with, correct?"_

If Gentaro could breathe, he would've taken a couple of breaths to calm himself down. Reverie was pushing all of his buttons, and the fact that Reverie represented the idea of sleep—just like a certain Zodiarts back at Subaruboshi High—just made it more and more difficult to keep his composure. If he wanted to to get the upper edge on the persona, he had to play along.

"Fine," said Gentaro. "What do you want me to do?"

"_Lie down, close your eyes and meditate," _Reverie summoned a bouquet of violets out of thin air. _"Do you want some hot milk to help you out?"_

"No thank you," Gentaro lied down and closed his eyes. "How long will this take?"

"_Just stay like that and meditate..."_ Reverie dropped the violets all over Gentaro's body. _"You'll find out soon enough..."_

Gentaro just kept still as he emptied his mind from all distractions. Hopefully this wouldn't take all night.

**0-0-0-0-0-0**

"Ge-chan...Gen-chan, wake up!"

Gentaro slowly opened his eyes, finding himself inside someplace bright. He sat up and found himself in the Rabbit Hatch.

"How the hell did I get here?" he asked, narrowing his eyes. "That Reverie bastard..."

"Gen-chan!" The perky voice repeated. "Get up! Everyone's waiting for you on the moon!"

Gentaro turned, seeing Yuki dressed up in an astronaut suit. She grabbed onto his hand and pulled him off of the bench he was lying on. He wanted to say something, but Yuki began jabbering away.

"We've been planning this for quite some time," she said. "Everyone's here: Kengo, Shun, JK, Miu, Tomoko, Ryusei..."

"Ryusei?" Gentaro repeated. The sound of that name wanted him to burn something. "Why is he here?"

"He helped pull off the party!" Yuki giggled. "Now come on!"

The door to the Rabbit Hatch opened up, and Gentaro found himself on the moon's surface once more. He looked around, seeing the beauty of the stars and of the Earth all around him. It was all so quiet...

"This way!" said Yuki, hopping away like a rabbit. "Follow the Moon Bunny so we can have mochi!"

Gentaro slowly walked across the moon, trying to make sense to the dream. What did Reverie want to tell him? Did the Rabbit Hatch symbolize loneliness? Did the moon represent home? What about the Earth? He snarled—he was getting more and more irritated with the dream with each passing second.

Following Yuki's path lead him to the flag of the Kamen Rider Club planted on the moon. There was no wind on the moon, so the flag didn't flutter in the breeze like it would on Earth. Yet there it was—the helmet of Fourze above the words "Kamen Rider Club" felt like some sort of symbol of...hope.

No...this was only a dream. It was some make-believe fantasy that Reverie created, nothing more. Gentaro was stronger than that.

"Gentaro-san!" cried a voice. "Over here!"

Gentaro turned around, seeing seven astronauts approaching him. One of them held a cake in their hands. It was a red velvet cake with eight candles and a little Fourze made out of fondant.

"What's going on?" he asked. "Who are you?"

"It's us!" cried Yuki. "The Kamen Rider Club! We're here to celebrate your birthday!"

"My birthday was five months ago."

"Did your hit your head or something?" said JK, pulling out his cellphone. "Today is November 30th! We've been working on giving you this party for quite some time!"

"_There's seven people in front of me though, and Ryusei came two months later..." _Gentaro narrowed his eyes. _"I know that this is a dream now."_

"Stop snarling like that, Gentaro!" said Miu. "You're going to get wrinkles if you keep doing that!"

"And our fearless Fourze should be smiling all the time, right?" said Shun. "He's not the 'man to befriend everyone in Amanogawa High' if he keeps snarling like a bull dog."

The astronauts laughed a bit, but Gentaro still kept that frown on his face. He still wasn't convinced though.

"Kisaragi," said Kengo. "You've done so much for us, and it would be a shame if we didn't get to celebrate this big day."

"We tried to find a good cake for you," said Tomoko. "We knew that you'd accept anything from us, though."

"So," said Ryusei. "Make a wish, Gentaro. What do you want on your 18th birthday?"

Gentaro saw the candles of the cake light up, the tiny flames flickering in the starry sky. It was impossible for that to happen, but this was a dream. Dreams were meant to be illogical, after all.

Yet, there was something in his heart that felt happy to be surrounded by these people...these friends. He hadn't felt this feeling in the past few days. All he had in his heart was anger, hatred and disgust for these people. The friends that left him to die in the real world were here to cheer him on. It hurt—the things that made him feel so good inside couldn't be reachable in the real world.

"I..." Gentaro felt tears form in his eyes. "I...I wish..."

"Gentaro?" asked Yuki. "Gentaro, are you crying?"

"No..." Gentaro dropped to his knees. "This isn't real...this is just a dream...you're nothing but figments of my imagination! I don't want this! Just...just leave me! I don't want to see you like this..."

"Gen-chan..." Yuki hopped toward him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you...crying?"

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Gentaro screamed, batting Yuki aside. When he did, he saw her crumble into sand. "No...I don't want this! I want my life back...stop making me feel this way! Reverie, get me out of here!"

He screamed and tore through the scenery, his kicks and punches easily toppling the Kamen Rider Club as if they were sand castles. When there were no trace of the Kamen Rider Club left, he started to sob. He hated crying—he thought he already stopped the tears from falling after bidding farewell to his parents and embracing his destiny. Why were they coming back now?

"_You want this to happen,"_ said Reverie, approaching Gentaro on the empty landscape. _"In your heart, you want to be with your friends again. You don't want to be under Ophiuchus's spell...it's all deep within you."_

"I hate you..." Gentaro whispered. "I hate you! Die, Reverie! I never want to see you again! CAELUM!"

A large chisel materialized in his hands as he began to stab Reverie with it. The dream-like persona just stood there as Gentaro continued to stab his forehead, stomach and heart, screaming as he found out that it was no use. Reverie's wounds would always heal and there were no signs of blood on him.

"_Are you done?" _asked Reverie, seeing Gentaro toss the chisel aside. _"I hope this goes to show you that even heartless people like yourself truly want to go back to simpler times. It's not too late...you have the present to guide you..."_

With that, the scenery of the moon, the Rabbit Hatch, the flag, and Reverie himself, began to fade away into the darkness. All that was left was a crying Gentaro Kisaragi.

**0-0-0-0-0-0**

"Serpent-bearer! Wake up!"

"Is he going to be all right? What do we do?"

"Maybe some CPR should start him up."

"He's dead, remember? He doesn't _need_ CPR."

Gentaro woke to Kengo, Jiro and Philip bickering over each other, a hand on his forehead. That dream was so real...but why would he dream about it in the first place. It wasn't something Ophiuchus wanted.

"Serpent-bearer~!" Jiro cried, wrapping his arms around Gentaro. "You're awake! We thought someone tried to kill you in your sleep and you were recovering from it."

"I'm fine, Serpent of Obsidian Knives," Gentaro replied, brushing Jiro aside. "I'm just...remembering."

"From the looks of it, you were crying over something," Kengo noted. "I can still see the tears in your eyes."

Gentaro placed a finger close to his eye, feeling the tears still there. He squeezed his eyes shut as two more tears fell. He wiped them away with the back of his sleeve and sighed.

"I'm...not feeling myself," he said. "I need to be alone for a while."

"Fine by us," said Philip. "We have to attend to some classes of our own. Our observations on our enemies should be quite useful today—they think we're just acting as if nothing is happening and they'll lower their guard down."

"And then we'll kill them!" Jiro cackled. "I can't wait to get my hands on Ryusei—I can't wait to have his head as a trophy!"

"Take care of yourself, Serpent-bearer," said Kengo. "Do not worry about the Kamen Rider Club—once King Ouroboros is resurrected, they shall fall before his might."

Gentaro nodded his head as he saw the three leave, closing the door behind them. He placed a hand on his head and curled the other into a fist. He heard something crunch and unclenched his fist. In his hand were dried violet flowers.

"_Sweet dreams, Gentaro..." _Reverie whispered in his mind. _"We'll be seeing each other real soon..."_

* * *

**Next time: One of the defining aspects of Gentaro Kisaragi is his ability to keep his promises. Whether they be big or small, Gentaro would always fulfill them because they were precious to his friends. So when he severed his ties with friends and family, that also meant destroying the precious promises and oaths he made to them. Was it truly justified for him to do that, now that he is the Serpent-bearer?**

**Next Melody: "Promise Me"**


	5. Promise Me

**Birthday Massacre**

**Melody 5: Promise Me**

"_The promise given was a necessity of the past: the word broken is the necessity of the present."_

_-Niccolo Machiavelli_

Gentaro was angry. It was one thing for those copies of him always butting into his business, but to have one of them to invade his mind and make him feel so...so..._unlike_ him was crossing the line. All he could think about was getting revenge on Reverie for making him want those _friends _celebrate his own birthday. He began to grind his teeth in fury as he paced around the apartment.

"_You're not acting as yourself," _Ophiuchus hissed. _"It's about him, isn't it?"_

Gentaro nodded his head as he turned around, seeing Ophiuchus materialize from his own shadow. Ophiuchus, with his appearance a mirror image of Gentaro, just shook his head.

"He's trying to distance you from what you need to do," he said. "He probably thinks he has so much power over you because of that victory despite the other three being nothing more than offerings to me."

"Why are they even here?" asked Gentaro. "Every time they come, I just want to find their source and kill it. That way I don't have to go through this madness ad infinitum. I swear that the next one I see, I will rip them into shreds!"

"_Didn't your parents teach you that's it's never a good idea to swear?" _said a melodious voice. _"If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."_

Gentaro clenched his fists, annoyed at yet another doppleganger coming in to convince him to walk off the path he was currently on. This doppleganger emeged from his shadow, dressed in a yukata decorated with yellow roses, and his head was adorned with a crown of white clover flowers. His eyes were also a bright yellow color, with Gentaro being reminded of the sun.

"Oh," said Ophiuhus, seeing the new person in their midsts. "You are either very brave or very foolish to show yourself in front of me. And what do they call you?"

"_I only go by Oath,"_ the double replied. He turned his gaze toward Gentaro and added, _"I take it that Reverie broke you down?"_

"He used dirty tactics on me," Gentaro replied. "He probably brainwashed me and made me hallucinate all of that to make me feel sad. Instead, I just felt sick to my stomach."

"_That's because you feel guilty," _Oath pulled out a paper fan from thin air, the fan decorated with yellow roses, and began to fan himself. _"Deep down, you want to be with your friends again. You don't want to harm them at all...all you are doing is feeding yourself excuses to hate them—they've done nothing to hurt you, haven't they?"_

Gentaro recalled the dream of his 'friends' all wishing him a happy birthday and the tears that formed in his eyes as he destroyed the utopia Reverie wanted to show him. Resisting the urge to cry, he replied, "They did nothing, and don't actions speak louder than words? All they did was stand there—that was already proof enough?"

"_But that was then. Now, they are working ten times as hard to atone for that simple mistake. They are sorry, Gentaro. You must understand that."_

"The Serpent-bearer understands that the past cannot be repeated, and that he had put too much trust into his own innocence and kindness to fall for their lies," Ophiuchus hissed. "That is all he needs to know."

"_Yes, he knows that." _Oath narrowed his eyes. _"However, he also must recall all of the promises he made prior to his death. Gentaro, do you remember Christmas Day ten years ago?"_

"Why should I?" Gentaro narrowed his eyes. "How do you know that day?"

"_Because promises, especially long-term ones, are my specialty." _Oath folded his fan and, with a flick of his wrist, the fan transformed into a beautiful white dove. He began to stroke its head, while the dove let out a gentle coo. _"Promises are very special—it shows the bond between two people, and the risks they would take in order to complete said promise. You were one such person, Gentaro...no, White Crow of the Veil."_

Gentaro narrowed his eyes. He remembered that day well, but he kept silent so Oath didn't have the pleasure of breaking him down.

"_And you continued to help people out, no matter what you had to do in order to make them feel happy...even at the cost of your very life. This was your downfall—you would rather die than not be able to help others, and that is what has caused you to turn away from your loved ones. You were unable to fulfill your promise and now look at what has happened to you. At the very least, you must be laid to rest so you can cause no more suffering."_

"I already was," Gentaro replied. "I was left on the ground in that damn warehouse while Ryusei looked down at me for being such a naïve fool! I will never make that mistake again!"

"I agree with that statement," said Ophiuchus, turning toward Oath. "Isn't there a way for us to settle things peacefull?"

"_There was, and that was with Gentaro passing into the afterlife where the Crow's powers could not be used for evil...now, there will be nothing more then anguish if he continues on this path."_

"Shut up!" Gentaro snarled. "Why don't you just die?!"

He charged toward Oath, preparing to punch his lights out. He didn't expect Oath to grab onto the wrist and pin him to the ground, hand on his neck. Oath still kept that smile on his face as he spoke.

"_I represent the side of you that makes promises—good and bad. While you have lost the good promises that kept you so pure-hearted, you still have the promsies you made to Ophiuchus to bring the world's destruction to an end. For this, I cannot be killed until your promises have been made and you are unable to kill yourself. Thus, we must conclude this with a tie."_

"So what was the point of all of this?" asked Ophiuchus. "Why come here spouting nonsense if there was going to be no altercation in the first place?"

"_It is a warning." _Oath released his grasp on Gentaro's neck. _"Gentaro shouldn't be keeping promises that he doesn't intend to keep. For in the end, they may eventually be his downfall. He'll be all by himself, without anyone to comfort him as he passes onto the afterlife. Then..."_

Just before Oath could get the next word out of his mouth, he felt something pierce through his chest. He looked down, seeing the Staff of Asclepius impaled through him, wielded by Gentaro Kisaragi who was grinning from ear to ear.

"You shouldn't have turned your back toward me," he chuckled. "That's left you vulnerable to my master's promise: to eat you."

Oath gasped as he saw Ophiuchus shed his disguise and transform into his large serpentine form. He gazed into those dark red eyes piercing into his own soul.

"I _promise_ that this won't hurt at all," Ophiuchus chuckled. "You won't even feel a thing."

The last thing Oath saw was Ophiuchus opening his mouth just before the darkness consumed him.

* * *

**Next time: To what extent are people willing to do anything for another? Is it worth it to sacrifice themselves for someone else's desires? Even if it means that they will be discarded in the end**

**To be continued in , Melody 6-"To Die For"**


End file.
